West Bromwich Albion has officially launched its Fan Advisory Board (FAB) as part of the club's ongoing commitment to supporter engagement.
The FAB is part of the club's wider Fan Engagement Plan and will be a high-level, strategic conduit for two-way dialogue between supporters and the club's key decision makers.
The newly formed advisory board, which has been endorsed by Albion Chairman Shilen Patel, is expected to meet for the first time in September 2025 and will facilitate the exchange of ideas and feedback on a formal basis.
The Albion Assembly, a larger group with 36 members, has been consulted on the implementation of the FAB and will continue to meet with the club to discuss subjects including ticketing, merchandise, facilities, community and matchday experience.
Who will be on the FAB?
The FAB will consist of nine supporter representatives and will be chaired by co-chairs; one representative of the club and one who will be elected from within the fan representatives of the FAB. It will meet with senior club officials four times per season, with the club's Managing Director attending at least two meetings.
Of the nine fan positions, three will be reserved for representatives of supporter groups, with one seat for All Access Albion, one for Proud Baggies, and a further seat reserved for a future, FSA-approved Independent Supporters Trust, while two representatives will be democratically elected from The Albion Assembly.
Four further positions will be open to supporters who attended at least five home or away matches during the 2024/25 campaign, of which a minimum of two will be season ticket holders.
Each of the three supporter groups with a reserved seat will be asked to name their appointed representative on an annual basis.
The four supporter representatives will serve a maximum of two, three-year terms, while Albion Assembly representatives will serve a maximum of three, two-year terms. This model – which ensures not all nine seats are vacant in the same year – was formulated by an Albion Assembly Working Group and received FSA approval.
Director of Communications & Fan Engagement, Ian Skidmore, convened a Working Group of seven Albion Assembly members, who met with the FSA’s Head of Supporter Engagement and Governance, Ashley Brown, to establish the FAB’s constitution.
When will the FAB meet?
The FAB will meet with the club on four occasions per season, as well as meeting independently on other occasions.
Following a recruitment process, the first expected meeting with the club will be in September 2025.
More information on agendas, minutes and meeting summaries can be found in the FAB constitution, here.
What will be the FAB's scope?
The FAB will retain a focus on topics including the club's strategic vision and objectives, business operations, the stadium, key matchday issues, any relevant heritage items, community activities and the club's equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) commitments. Sporting and on-field issues will not form part of proposals.
How to apply
To apply for a position, supporters must complete an online FAB application form by 10pm on Monday, June 9. Applications will be made via the EFL’s iRecruit portal, which ensures anonymised shortlisting.
All applicants must be aged 18 years or over.
The club actively encourages applications from supporters across all protected characteristics.
Please read the FAB Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct before applying.
Supporters can apply to join the FAB, here.
What will happen next?
An anonymised shortlisting process will be carried out by a Fan Advisory Board selection panel, which will consist of two Albion Assembly Working Group members, the FSA’s Head of Supporter Engagement and Governance, Ashley Brown, Cyrille Regis Legacy Trust Chair, Julia Regis, and the club’s Director of Communications & Fan Engagement, Ian Skidmore.
To ensure anonymity, the selection panel will initially only have access to the answers provided during the application process. The panel will be able to view CVs following the initial shortlisting process and prior to interviews.
In-person interviews will then be held for suitable candidates at The Hawthorns on July 8, 9, 10. Interviews will be conducted by two independent representatives and one club representative.